Wall and rafter layout speed jig

ABSTRACT

A construction speed jig to aid in conventional wall and rafter layout efficientcy, which immediately centers the wall stud or rafter on a 16 inch or 24 inch on center by using a saddle shaped guide with a centering arrow and a removable adjusting arm which can quickly change from the 16 inch to 24 inch on center position, or back from 24 inch to 16 inch on center position. The adjustable arm can be used in a right or left position and maintains measurement on center exactly 16 inch or 24 inch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a speed jig for wall and rafter construction that will ease and speed up the construction process for wall framing and rafter centering on a common 16 inch or 24 inch on center norm which has been established as the most common building practice in th current building standards.

Modern building requirements have long been in need of a device to accurately aid in speed construction of wall panels and rafter spacing, and must be a light weight and durable device that can stand up to the harsh building environment.

Consequently this wall, rafter layout speed jig was designed to aid all builders from the novice to the professional builder to provide a quick means of centering the wall stud construction and the roof rafter center to center location in a simple efficient way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly the present invention relates to wall stud and rafter building construction to allow and keep each wall stud or rafter to continue on a said center to center dimension of either 16 inch or 24 inch on center which is considered the norm in todays building standards.

There are two parts to this invention which are separable, the main wall stud centering device and the detachable predetermined length arm, which can be separated by the removal of one bolt and wing nut. The main device has a saddle which slides over the wall stud and has an arrow built into the bottom center of the saddle to align the wall stud to a premarked wall plate, the saddle has flat shoes on either side at a 90 degree angle to allow the wall stud and wall plate to be constructed square. Using the main device alone on a premarked plate will allow for quick centering of the wall stud to the wall plate. By attaching the predetermined length arm with the attaching bolt and wing nut a continued on center dimension can be maintained of either 16 inch or 24 inch during wall framing which will provide quick and accurate construction. The predetermined length arm can be quickly adjusted from the 16 inch to the 24 inch on center position by the removal of a bolt and wing nut and swiveling the outside part of the predetermined arm and reinstalling the bolt and retaining it with the wing nut.

It is the object of this invention to provide a rugged, lightweight, dependable way of speeding wall stud and rafter centering with accuracy, and to allow a quick change from the 16 inch to the 24 inch on center adjustment. It is also the intention of this invention to be low cost to be affordable to all novice or professionals.

The invention can be comprised of rugged plastic, aluminum, or steel during the manufacturing process. All advantages and features are further explained in the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the detailed description which follows reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures:

FIG. 1. is a view of the wall and rafter layout speed jig in the 24 inch on center position, allowing the wall studs or rafters to be quickly aligned in the 24 inch on center position.

FIG. 2. is a view of the invented speed jig in the 16 inch on center position allowing the wall studs or rafters to be quickly aligned in the 16 inch on center position.

FIG. 3. is a view of the invented speed jig without the predetermined length arm attached allowing a premarked wall plate to be quickly set with wall studs using the built in centering arrow built into the bottom of the main saddle.

FIG. 4. is a top view of just the main saddle part of the invented speed jig without the predetermined length arm to show the relationship of the said speed jig to the wall stud.

FIG. 5. is a top view of the wall and rafter layout speed jig with the predetermined length arm attached and in the 16 inch on center position to show the relationship to the wall studs or roof truss joists.

FIG. 6. is a top view of the wall and rafter layout speed jig with the predetermined length arm attached and in the 24 inch on center position to show the relationship to the wall studs or roof truss joists.

FIG. 7. is a top view to show the invented speed jig shown separated from the predetermined length arm to basically show the simplistic design using very few parts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the figures, the wall and rafter layout speed jig invention includes reference in FIG. 1. the saddle (4) which encompasses the wall stud (101) to hold it secure, shoes (2) that attach to the bottom of saddle (4) at a 90 degree angle to keep the wall stud (101) square to the top or bottom wall plate (102). The saddle (4) and shoes (2) include a built in arrow (3) which is a permanent part of the saddle (4) and shoe (2) assembly. The arrow (3) is used to center the wall stud (101) to the wall plate (102) which has been premarked (103) for exact center position of the wall stud (101) which in FIG. 1 is in the 24 inch on center position. The predetermined length arm (5) has a permanent pivotal point (7) that allows for a quick change of dimension of the attached arm (6) from a predetermined 16 inch on center to a 24 inch on center as shown in FIG. 1. The quick change position of the swivel arm (6) is made by removing bolt (8) which is retained by a wing nut (90) and swiveling arm (6) which is permanently attached to the predetermined length arm (5) at pivot point (7) and relocating the retaining bolt (8) and wing nut (90) to its one of two positions of which in FIG. 1 is in the 24 inch on center location (103A) or as shown in FIG. 2 the 16 inch on center location (103B) either use is for centering the wall stud (101) to the top or bottom plate (102) in a quick and speedy position 24 inch on center (103A) or 16 inch on center position (103B). The predetermined length arm (5) with permanently attached swivel arm (6) at pivot point (7) is attached to the saddle (4), shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly by another bolt (8) and a retaining wing nut (90). In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the predetermined length arm (5) and permanently attached swivel arm (6) is shown in the right hand position. The predetermined length arm (5) and swivel arm (6) can be positioned to the other side of the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly by loosening wing nut (90) on bolt (8) at the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly and turning the predetermined length arm (5) with attached swivel arm (6) to the opposite side and retighten wing nut (90) at the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly to allow the wall and rafter layout speed jig the same speed accuracy from the right or left position.

FIG. 2. Specifically shows the predetermined length arm (5) with the permanently attached arm (6) at pivot point (7) in the 16 inch on center location (103B), notice position of bolt (8) and wing nut (90) of the predetermined arm (5) and swivel arm (6) in the inward bolt position. where as in FIG. 1 the bolt (8) and wing nut (90) of predetermined length arm (5) swivel arm (6) is in the outward bolt position allowing invented speed jig to change from 16 inch on center to 24 inch on center quickly.

FIG. 3. is a front view of the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly with the predetermined length arm (5) (6) removed to show the relationship of just the centering speed jig part to the wall stud (101) and the wall plate (102). The saddle (4) encompasses the wall stud (101) and the shoes (2) set on the wall plate (102) in a 90 degree angle to cause the wall stud (101) and the plate (102) to be square. The arrow (3) built into the bottom center of the saddle (4) shoe (2) assembly is meant to speed the centering of wall stud (101) to its centered position (103) on the top or bottom plate (102). The arrow (3) is used for speed centering of the wall stud (101) to a premarked (103) top or bottom plate (102) for wall construction.

FIG. 4. is a top view to show the relationship of how the saddle (4) encompasses the wall stud (101) and the relationship of the attached shoes (2) that set flat at a

90 degree angle on the plate (102) (Plate (102) shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). The shoes (2) are longer at the closed end of saddle (4) to allow the predetermined length arm (5) with swivel arm (6) shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to rest on the protruding shoulder in a squared position in either a right or left position.

FIG. 5. is a top view to show the predetermined length arm (5) with attached swivel arm (6) at permanent pivot point (7) attached to saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly in the 16 inch on center position. The predetermined length arm (5) with attached swivel arm (6) is attached to the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly with a removable bolt (8) and retaining wing nut (90) and can be loosened to allow the predetermined length arm (5) and swivel arm (6) to swing to a right or left position with the predetermined length arm (5) resting on the protruding part of the shoe (2) allowing the arm to remain square to the saddle (4) which encompasses the wall stud (101). Further FIG. 5 shows the other end of the predetermined length arm (5) with the attached adjustable swivel arm (6) in the 16 inch on center location, bolt (8) and retaining wing nut (90) is in the inward bolt location. AS shown in FIG. 5 the swivel arm (6) is at a 90 degree angle forming an L to the predetermined length arm (5) permanently attached at pivot point (7) to allow for the wall stud (101B) to be at a 16 inch on center with wall stud (101) by the saddle (4) encompassing wall stud (101) and the inside of the 90 degree L of swivel arm (6) butting up to the outside of the wall stud (101B). The wall studs (101) and (101B) can be centered quickly in this 16 inch on center to the top or bottom plate (102) using the wall and rafter speed jig as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6. is a top view very similar to FIG. 5 except the predetermined length arm (5) and the swivel arm (6) is shown in the 24 inch on center position, bolt (8) and retaining wing nut (90) are now in the outward bolt location by swiveling swivel arm (6) to this outside position and now holding it in this location by bolt (8) and retaining wing nut (90). The 24 inch on center relationship of wall stud (101) to wall stud (101B) is determined by the saddle (4) encompassing wall stud (101) and the outside of wall stud (101B) butting up against the inside part of the L of swivel arm (6) attached to the predetermined length arm (5) at pivot point (7) and is retained in this outward position by bolt (8) and retaining wing nut (90) and the predetermined length arm (5) and swivel arm (6) are held to the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly by another bolt (8) and wing nut (90).

FIG. 7. is a top view of the invention wall and rafter layout speed jig with the predetermined length arm (5) with attached swivel L arm (6) separated from the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly to show the simplicity of this invention using very few parts making it convenient and simple to use. There are only two assemblies when the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly is detached from the predetermined length arm (5) swivel L arm (6) at pivot point (7). When not being used the bolt (8) and wing nut (90) used to attached the predetermined length arm (5) with attached swivel L arm (6) to the saddle (4) shoe (2) arrow (3) assembly can be stored in its bolt location on the predetermined length arm (5). With few parts and simple design this invention will allow for quick accurate wall stud or roof joist centering for the novice as well as the professional. 

1. This invented wall and rafter layout speed jig is simple in design and construction to allow for quick accurate wall or rafter construction. This invention can be used in a right or left configuration to provide accuracy of 16 inch or 24 inch center to center wall or rafter construction.
 2. This invention can be separated, the main saddle speed jig from the adjustable arm to allow the main saddle speed jig to operate alone to speed the centering of the wall stud to a premarked top or bottom wall plate using the centering arrow feature of the saddle assembly to quickly locate the center of the wall stud to the premarked plate.
 3. This invented wall and rafter layout jig can be quickly changed from 16 inch to a 24 inch on center position by removal of one bolt and swiveling the adjustable arm to the in or out position and reinstalling the previously removed bolt and wing nut. When tightened this provides a sturdy dependable way to construct a stud wall or assist in rafter location quickly and easily saving time and labor costs.
 4. It is also claimed that the simple design of the wall and rafter layout speed jig allows the novice a well as the professional builder to immediately construct accurate wall stud or rafter location on center quickly. 